Some extreme activities are obvious. Nobody would ever question the bravery required to skydive, bungee jump, or kiss a shark on the mouth. But believing that it takes guts to eat a bowl of noodles? That might take some convincing—unless you're familiar with Pho's Spicier Thai Cuisine, that is. This BYOB restaurant prides itself on one thing: making the spiciest Thai food in all of Chicago. And its cooks' aggressive use of chilies has been luring in adrenaline junkies and spicy-food fanatics at two locations for years now.

The menu's spiciness scale ranges from mild to extra hot, but few ever make it to the high end of that spectrum. In fact, reviewers from Time Out Chicago confessed that even the hot level "just about massacred" them. Diners—including vegetarians—can decide for themselves by customizing the punch in a variety of classic Thai dishes, including drunken noodles, panang curry, and spicy catfish.